How Much Does It Cost to Run a Pool in Minnesota?

Published May 1, 2026 • MyPool • Minnesota pool ownership guide

I get asked this all the time.

How much does a pool cost to run? What does it cost per month? What does it cost to heat?

And the honest answer is, monthly is not the best way to look at it.

Some months are cheap. Some are not. So instead, let’s talk about what it actually costs to run a pool over a full Minnesota season.

The Short Answer: Real Numbers

Most homeowners in Minnesota should budget around $2,500 to $4,000 per season to run and enjoy their pool.

Can it be higher? Absolutely. If you want the pool at 90 degrees in April, the gas company is going to become a lot more interested in your backyard.

Electric Cost: Lower Than People Think

Electric used to be a bigger concern. On a MyPool built pool, it should not be the scary part of ownership.

We use variable speed pumps like the IntelliFlo VSF. It is an oversized, energy efficient pump that is also whisper quiet.

• Roughly $25 to $30 per month to run
• Usually a couple hundred dollars over the season

That is a big difference compared to older single speed pumps, which can often run over $100 per month.

Chemicals: The Number Depends on the Pool and the Person

Chemical cost can vary based on pool size, sun, rain, use, water temperature, cover habits, and how comfortable the homeowner is with a weekly routine.

A homeowner maintaining their own pool could be in the $600 to $1,000 range for the season if things go well.

We also offer MyPool Weekly Care and Openings. At the time of writing this, our weekly chemical care package is $1,602 for the season.

For homeowners who are not as dialed in with weekly water care, hiring it out can honestly be cheaper than going back and forth trying to fix problems.

It is not rocket science. But we are pros, and we do this every day.

Salt Pools: Less Year to Year, But Not Free

A salt pool should theoretically run a little less than a traditional chlorine pool on chemical cost.

But salt pools are not chemical free. A well maintained salt pool still needs balancing product, testing, adjustment, and attention.

I do not find that salt saves homeowners a massive amount long term. Year to year it may be less, but salt systems can come with bigger repair or replacement items down the road. Over time, it often averages closer than people expect.

Heating: The Biggest Variable by Far

This is where the numbers can really swing.

The nice thing is that most modern pools in Minnesota have automatic safety covers. That matters because a huge amount of pool heat is lost off the surface of the water. When the cover is closed, you are holding that heat in instead of letting it disappear overnight.

If you want a deeper dive on this, read our guide on automatic pool covers in Minnesota.

June, July, and August

In the core summer months, you may barely have your heater fire. Your autocover can do a lot of the work.

For some homeowners, that may only be a few hundred dollars in gas across the main part of summer.

April, May, September, and October

The bookends of the season are where heating costs show up.

If you want to swim comfortably in May or late September into October, the heater matters. It is not uncommon to see a $400 to $500 gas bill in a month if you are heating often.

Typical Seasonal Heating Range

• $1,000 to $1,500 is a realistic seasonal gas budget for many homeowners
• $4,000 is possible if you keep the pool hot early, late, or all the time

I have seen customers spend four grand heating their pool because they wanted it at 90 degrees through April. That is not the average, but it is real.

Without an autocover, figure you are at least doubling your gas cost, or you are not using your pool to the fullest extent.

Opening and Closing: Budget About $500

You are also going to want a professional service to open and close your pool.

For MyPool builds, using our opening and closing services helps protect your lifetime underground plumbing warranty. This is the best way to make sure the underground plumbing is handled correctly through Minnesota winters and the equipment is in the best shape it can be going into spring.

• Openings start at $225
• Closings start at $275
• Budget about $500 for the set

So What Is the Real Yearly Cost?

If we math it out:

• A couple hundred dollars in electric
• Several hundred to around $1,600 in chemicals or weekly chemical care
• About $1,000 to $1,500 in heat for many homeowners
• About $500 for opening and closing

That puts many Minnesota pool owners around $2,500 to $3,000 on the lower side, and closer to $3,500 to $4,000+ if they like warmer water, have a larger pool, stretch the season, or use weekly care.

The Part Nobody Talks About

Once you have a pool, something else happens.

Your friends, family, and neighbors are going to like you quite a bit more.

So yes, your beer and hotdog budget is going up. For the kids, add juice boxes and Doritos to the list.

You can always charge admission to offset those added costs, but I have not seen that work too well yet.

Where Homeowners Get Burned

The biggest mistake I see is trying to save money on maintenance and then spending more fixing the water.

A homeowner maintaining their own pool can get into chemical trouble, spend more than the average, and lose valuable swim time while trying to recover the pool.

Staying ahead of the water is almost always cheaper than rescuing it.

Final Thought

Pools are not free to run. But they are also not nearly as expensive as people think when they are built and maintained the right way.

If you control the equipment, heat loss, and weekly maintenance, you control most of the cost.